1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates to a piezoelectric gas lighter having a nozzle assembly wherein the fuel gas flows through two paths, i.e., the main gas ejection path and the auxiliary gas ejection hole(s), so that the ignition action may be performed easily by a spark applied to the fuel gas flowing through the auxiliary gas ejection hole(s).
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional ignition device of a piezoelectric gas lighter shall be explained hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B.
As for a piezoelectric gas lighter, a piezoelectric tip 18 of a piezoelectric device 17 generates a spark by means of an ignition switch 16 being pressed. Meanwhile, the ends of a gas ejection lever 14 are lifted upward in connection with the downward movement of the ignition switch 16. A nozzle groove 25 is held between two ends of the gas ejection lever 14, so that a nozzle flange 26 which is pushed upward by the upward movement of the two ends of the gas ejection lever 14 lifts up the nozzle 20. When the nozzle 20 is lifted upward, the gas inlet of the nozzle is opened so that the fuel gas stored in the gas tank 11 is ejected outward through the nozzle. Accordingly, the fuel gas ejected through the gas ejection hole 23 is ignited by a spark which is generated by the piezoelectric tip 18, so that the combustion action may be performed successfully. Here, the pressure of the ejected gas has to be reduced properly, because the fuel gas may fail to be ignited by the spark if the gas is ejected from the gas ejection hole 23 at an excessively high speed.
In low-priced gas lighters which can be found almost everywhere and give off stronger sparks than those of the piezoelectric gas lighters using piezoelectric devices, by means of a spark wheel and a flint, the fuel gas may be ignited without a problem even when the ejected fuel gas flows at a high pressure. However, in piezoelectric gas lighters which have piezoelectric devices for generation of sparks, much smaller sparks are given off than those of flint-type gas lighters, so that there is trouble in ignition efficiency when the fuel gas is ejected from the nozzle at a high pressure. Moreover, piezoelectric gas lighters have trouble in ignition efficiency unless an exact predetermined distance is kept between the piezoelectric tip 18 and the gas ejection hole 23 and the spark is generated by the piezoelectric tip concurrently with the ejection of gas. Therefore, it is necessary to bring down the pressure of the ejected fuel gas to a preferred level. Also, the piezoelectric tip should be kept a predetermined distance from the end of the nozzle. In addition, the spark should be generated by the piezoelectric tip concurrently with the ejection of the fuel gas.
To solve the above-identified problems of the conventional piezoelectric gas lighters, a very small-sized spring has been installed in the gas ejection hole 23 of the nozzle. As for the piezoelectric gas lighter having the small-sized spring 29 on the inner walls of the gas ejection hole, the majority of the fuel gas flows outward through the main orifice of the spring 29, while a small amount of the gas flows out from the side overture of the spring 29. When a spark generated by the piezoelectric tip is applied to the fuel gas flowing off through the side overture of the spring, ignition may be achieved.
In a result, the fuel gas may be ejected via the overture of the spring with a wide ejection area so that an exact distance between the piezoelectric tip and the end of the nozzle does not have to be kept and the spark generation does not have to be perfectly synchronized with the gas ejection.
However, if the spring is installed on the walls of the gas ejection hole of the nozzle, the following disadvantages arise: First, a much higher cost may be required for the manufacture of small springs. Secondly, the very small-sized spring needs to be installed manually in the gas ejection hole of the nozzle, which may be very troublesome. That is, it is difficult to install a spring in the nozzle by an automated machines. As a result, the installation of a spring in the nozzle requires extra work so that the overall productivity remains low.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, the applicant of the present invention has already invented and applied for a patent for xe2x80x9cAn Ignition Device of the Piezoelectric Gas Lighterxe2x80x9d wherein the device is further equipped with a screening plate to screen off the gas pressure, as disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2000-0013064 which was filed on Mar. 15, 2000.
The present invention provides a piezoelectric gas lighter in which a piezoelectricity is generated to ignite fuel gas by a piezoelectric device in response to a movement of a switch button. The piezoelectric gas lighter comprising:
a lighter body including a gas tank, a gas ejection lever installed on a top of the gas tank for opening a gas flow path in response to the movement of the switching button; and
a nozzle assembly including a nozzle which comprises a lower part inserted in the gas tank, an upper part exposed outside the gas tank, and having one or more auxiliary gas ejection holes on a side thereof, and a main gas ejection path formed through the lower part and the upper part; a nozzle cap which encloses the upper part of the nozzle; and a gap defined between the nozzle and the nozzle cap so that the fuel gas ejected from the auxiliary gas ejection holes flows through the gap.